68 Astronomical Society. 



policitous to promote whatever seemed likely to prove of practical 

 utility, and render the longitude easy of measurement and calcula- 

 tion. Any well-grounded project for the improvement of chrono- 

 meters was sure to find in him a firm supporter. The system of 

 determining differences of longitude by sets of itinerant chronome- 

 ters, as practised by Dr. Tiarks and Captains Foster and King, was 

 warmly advocated and effectually supported by him. 



Dr. Wollaston was many years a Vice-President of the Royal So- 

 ciety, and for a short time filled the chair of that illustrious body 

 in 1820. He became a member of this Society in November 1828, 

 under circumstances of which the irregularity could onlj' be justified 

 by the urgency of the case, and the impossibility of its being drawn 

 into a precedent in future. Dr. Wollaston was proposed in the June 

 meeting, and his certificate having hung till the following Novem- 

 ber, he ought, according to our rules, to have been balloted for at 

 the ensuing meeting. The alarming situation of his health, and high 

 probability of his dissolution previous to the December meeting, 

 induced the Council at once to recommend to the meeting a depar- 

 ture from the established rule, and that the election should take place 

 on the day already named ; which was done, and received the unani- 

 mous sanction of the meeting, who insisted on dispensing with the 

 formality of even a ballot. But the Council feel, that though such 

 a case may justify the step, they must look to the general body of 

 the members, now assembled on their anniversary, to ratify it, which 

 they confidently expect will be done. His death took place shortly 

 after; viz. on the 22d December 1828. 



Officers for the ensuing year elected at this Meeting. 



President: James South, Esq. F.R.S. L. & E. M.R.I.A.& F.L.S.— 

 Vice-Presidents: Francis Baily, Esq. F.R.S. L.S. &G.S. & M.R.I.A.; 

 Captain F. Beaufort, R.N. F.R.S.; Davies Gilbert, Esq. M.P. Pres. 

 R.S. F.L.S. &G.S.; Olinthus G. Gregory, LL.D. Prof. Math. Roy. 

 Mil. Acad. Woolwich. — Treasurer: Rev. William Pearson, LL.D.& 

 F.R.S. — Secretaries: Rev. Richard Sheepshanks, M.A. ; Lieutenant 

 Wm. S. Stratford, R.N. — Foreign Secretary : Captain W. H. Smyth, 

 R.N. F.R.S. & A.^.— Council : Right Hon. Lord Ashley, M.P. ; 

 Captain Everest, F.R.S. ; Benjamin Gompertz, Esq. F.R.S. ; J. F. W. 

 Herschel, Esq. M.A. V.P.R.S. F.R.S.E. F.G.S. & M.R.LA.; Rev. 

 Dionysius Lardner, LL.D. F.R.S. & M.R.LA. ; John Lee, Esq. 

 LL.D.; John William Lubbock, Esq. M.A. ; Edward Riddle, Esq. ; 

 Edward Troughton, Esq. F.R.S. L. & E.; John Wrottesley, Esq. 

 M.A. 



March 13. — A paper was read, " On the errors likely to arise in 

 the determination of the length of the pendulum, from a false posi- 

 tion of the fixed axes." By Capt. Everest, Member of the Society. 



A paper was then read from James Prinsep, Esq., assay-master 

 of the mint at Benares, containing the observation of a solar eclipse 

 on the 13th and Hth of April 1828, at Benares, with an account of 

 the instrument, and the periods of the eclipse as obtained by con- 

 struction. Mr, P. observed the transits of the limbs of the sun and 

 of tile cusps over the wire of an equatorial telescope. 



The 



